Pat Kelsey stopped at the curtain separating Denny Crum Court from the bowels of the KFC Yum! Center . One of his daughters was waiting there to greet him.

Before throwing himself into the pressure cooker that is the Louisville and Kentucky basketball rivalry , the Cardinals’ second-year coach planted a kiss on her cheek. One last moment of calm before a storm that’s been known to take no prisoners.

Forty minutes later, he emerged with the biggest win of his U of L tenure — and a dislocated finger.

No. 12 Louisville (3-0) led the No. 8 Wildcats (2-1) for more than 37 minutes and by as many as 20 points en route to a 96-88 victory Tuesday — its first in the series since Dec. 26, 2020, and only its fourth in 18 tries dating back to 2010.

For Kelsey, it’s the first win over a top-e

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